Fable: The Chronicles of the Mage and Warrior
by nobleowl
Summary: An ancient document has been uncovered in Bowerstone Castle. It tells the story of Tyler and Allison, who would one day become the protectors of the Twin Swords of Avo. Fighting alongside friends, Wedge, Brock, Raven, and Ranger, the group will set in motion events that will forever change Albion.
1. The Letter

To Alexander, Chief Librarian of the Brightwall Academy,

I have discovered a rather curious text inside of the castle library a couple days ago. Judging from the sheepskin that it is printed on, I would guess that the text is nearly a thousand years old, if not more. I am sending this to you so that you can copy the words on its pages and distribute them throughout Albion and the surrounding areas.

As for the original text, I want you to preserve it. Keep it at Brightwall. It will be safe there.

I have read the text. I hope that you can confirm the time period, but I am thinking that it was written by a scribe from the Hero's Guild. Although that is important, it is critical to notice that the text is about the two Heroes, Tyler and Allison. You may not know who these figures are, but Austin and I have dealt with them before.

I do hope that Liz is well. Austin and I are quite keen on meeting your daughter, Eva.

Sincerely,

Jean, Queen of Albion


	2. The Boy from Bowerstone

The moon illuminated the path as a young boy gathered his courage. He peered from his hiding place behind a large storage building. Several shirtless men stood in a circle, preparing to fight. The boy watched as two of the men entered the ring and began to pummel each other with their fists. Several minutes later, one of the men backed away, clutching a bloody nose. This was Bowerstone Quay, which acted as the town's primary hub for shipments from Oakvale. Bowerstone Quay was also the gathering place for the local fighting gang, which met only at night.

 _I have to try. I'm a man now. They have to accept me!_ The boy thought, slipping out from behind the barn. He approached cautiously. "I want to challenge the winner!" He announced boldly.

The leader of the gang, a man with spiky hair, turned to face him. "This gang is only for men. Come back when you are a few years older," he answered bluntly.

The boy stomped his foot angrily. "I am old enough! I'm 14 years old! Let me at least try to beat one of you! I can do it!"

Several of the men laughed, but the leader shook his head slowly. "Alright, kid. What's your name?"

The boy stuck out his chest and replied, "Tyler. My name is Tyler. Now can I challenge someone?"

The leader of the fist fighter gang sighed, "If you insist, but I will warn you…we will not go easy on you just because you are a child."

Tyler marched into the ring and watched as one of the men joined him. The man swung his fist hard. The blow would have knocked Tyler senseless if it had connected but Tyler had rolled to the left. "Try this!" He yelled, kicking the man in the calf.

"What was that? A flea bite?" The man laughed, kicking Tyler in the ribs.

Tyler toppled over, clutching his ribs. The man continued to kick Tyler until the leader of the fist fighter gang shouted, "Enough! The boy has learned his lesson! Haven't you, kid?"

"…" He could only gasp for air.

"Hm. I take that as a yes. Leave him."

The gang started to walk away from Tyler. A small voice came from him. "Wait…."

The leader paused and looked over his shoulder. "What is it?" He asked in a grunt.

Tyler staggered to his feet. "I want another try. I can beat one of you. I can," he growled.

"Fine. You can try to beat me," the leader turned back to the ring and stepped inside. "Well? You say that you are a man? Prove it!" Tyler ran forward and punched the man as hard as he could. The leader of the gang laughed, "Don't tell me that that was your best hit!" He punched Tyler, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Tyler stood back up and growled. He felt a surge of energy pulsing through his veins. "I'm not done yet!" He yelled, running forward. Glowing blue streaks appeared on his arms and the men of the fist fighter gang gasped in shock. Tyler raised his hand, attempting to slap the fist fighter leader on the face. However, unknown to Tyler, there was orb of an incomplete spell in his hand. As his hand connected with the face of the unfortunate man, the spell began to eat into his flesh. The heat from the unfinished spell caused the eyes of the leader to explode.

"OH SKORM!" The men of the fist fighter gang screamed. They fled from Tyler as if he were a vicious animal.

Tyler watched as the eyeless man clutched at the bloody sockets and cried out in horror, "What have I done?!" He ran away from the ring and away from the terror that he had caused. He fled into Bowerstone South and raced toward the school.

An arm reached out from the shadows and grabbed Tyler by the arm. "Boy, you just caused one hell of a mess. Come on. The guards are looking for you." The voice came from a male. He pulled Tyler into his hiding spot. "Maze has asked me to find you. Word travels fast and we found out that you just caused someone's eyes to burst. For one as young as you, that is quite impressive. A little crazy, of course, but impressive all the same."

"Who are you?" Tyler asked nervously.

The stranger grinned and answered, "The name's Wedge. I'm a Hero apprentice at the Hero's Guild. And you, my friend, just used Will. Very rudimentary Will, mind you."

Tyler looked at Wedge up and down, inspecting him carefully. Wedge appeared to be a couple years older than Tyler, maybe 16 or 17. He was fairly tall and muscular. Wedge wore a hooded blue and white tunic with matching trousers. His deep blue eyes were a contrast to his light brown hair. "What are you going to do to me? Take me to Headsman's Hill and kill me?" Tyler asked mistrustfully.

Wedge laughed, "No. I'm going to take you to the Hero's Guild so that you can speak with Maze and the Guildmaster. I will admit that Bowerstone's guards are looking for you but if you follow me, we shouldn't run into anyone."

Tyler sighed and followed Wedge silently through Bowerstone. He could hear the yells of the guards and saw the light from their lanterns off in the distance. The duo passed by the local tavern and Wedge snuck a glimpse into one of the windows. Inside, the townsfolk were drinking, dancing, or gambling. Some were simply passed out. "Oh, I wish I could go in for a pint…" Wedge mumbled longingly. He shook his head and lead Tyler to the large wooden doors that acted as the entry and exit point for Bowerstone South.

The duo opened the door only a crack so that they could slip out unnoticed. Outside of Bowerstone's walls, Tyler noticed that the sky was starting to turn to a shade of pink. "The sun is starting to rise," he muttered.

"Yes, indeed, it is. Come on. The Hero's Guild is located not too far away." Wedge began to walk down the bridge. Tyler followed quietly. When they reached the other side, Wedge started the climb up the hill. When he noticed Tyler panting behind him, he exclaimed, "You can't be out of breath! Okay, we've reached the top. Go ahead and have a rest."

Tyler noticed several benches that sat under a large statue. He approached one of the benches and sat down. "Hey, Wedge? What happens in the Hero's Guild?" Tyler asked.

"You train to become a Hero. We learn about melee combat, ranged combat, and how to use spells properly. You'll want to pay close attention when you learn how to use Will—that's magic, by the way. A friend of mine, Brock, was supposed to hit a target with a fireball, but accidently set a girl's head on fire. No one is really sure what happened. Maze is under the impression that Brock used enflame instead of fireball."

"He set a girl's head on fire? Was she okay?"

Wedge chuckled, "Yeah. She still hasn't forgiven him though."

Tyler shook his head in amazement then asked, "So this training…is it all practical or is there book learning as well?"

"There is classroom learning as well. Don't worry so much. You'll do fine. Maze apparently has faith in you. He wouldn't have sent me to find you otherwise."

Tyler nodded and stood up. "Alright, Wedge. Lead the way."

Wedge grinned and began to walk down the hill. Tyler noticed a platform and a large stone wall. "What is that platform used for?" He asked.

"Boasts," Wedge answered simply.

"Boasts? Could you be more specific?"

Wedge answered, "Well, when you take a new quest from the Guildmaster, you have the option to boast about certain achievements or conditions. For example, you can boast that you'll do a quest only in your skivvies. Or that you'll use no weapons and only punch your way into battle. If you succeed in your boast, you get extra gold."

"Ah. Why would you fight in your underwear?" Tyler asked.

Wedge shrugged and approached the door. "We're here. Are you ready to meet Maze and the Guildmaster?"

Tyler gathered his courage and answered, "Yes."


	3. The Guildmaster's Decision

The door creaked open and Tyler felt a blast of cool air hit his face. Once inside, he paused, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. When he could finally see, he noticed a large circular table sitting in the middle of the room. The table showed a large map of Albion. Tyler also noticed that there were small cards on some of the regions of the map.

"Uh? Wedge? What are those cards on the map?" Tyler pointed at the map.

Wedge answered, "Those are quest cards. They'll be important, but as for now, ahem! Maze, sir, I have brought the Will user." His voice altered to become more formal.

Tyler looked up and saw a man dressed in fine robes. His face showed blue streaks. "Thank you, Wedge. You may go," the stranger waved a hand and Wedge walked down the staircase, vanishing from view. The stranger looked shrewdly at Tyler and said, "My name is Maze. I seek out new talent for the Guild and you have my interest. Not many your age can perform such powerful Will abilities. Tell me, what is your name?"

"Tyler, sir," he answered in a meek voice.

"Good. In a few minutes, you will speak with the Guildmaster. He does take my advice into consideration when it comes to training new recruits. Do you have any questions?" Tyler kept his mouth shut and shook his head. Maze continued, "Very well. Ah. Here he comes now."

Tyler watched as the Guildmaster slowly approached him. The man was older, with a bald head and a strange symbol etched into his forehead. "Hello, son. Follow me. I wish to see your abilities." The Guildmaster said, leading Tyler out of the building.

Tyler followed the Guildmaster into the sun. Outside were several fences that divided up the training areas. One area showed two male apprentices facing off against each other, each holding a stick. Another range showed a female apprentice holding a bow. She faced several targets that continuously moved side to side.

The Guildmaster guided Tyler to one of the training areas. Inside was a single straw scarecrow. "Okay. I want you to hit that scarecrow as hard as you can. Continue until I tell you to stop," the Guildmaster said, stepping away from Tyler.

Tyler approached the scarecrow and punched it. The scarecrow barely moved. He hit it again. A girl with red hair passed by the training area and stopped. She snickered at Tyler, "Oh come on! You hit like an infant! Harder!"

"Now, Allison, this boy has only just arrived. He has not begun his training yet. I am merely testing him to see what he can and cannot do," the Guildmaster said gently.

Allison sneered, "Well he can't hit, I can tell you that much! Look at him! He's weak!"

"Shut up!" Tyler shouted. He balled his hand into a fist and slammed it into the scarecrow. The fibers that made up the scarecrow burst into flames upon impact. "I am NOT weak!"

The Guildmaster took a step back and answered, "No one said that you were weak. However, I will ask that you control that temper of yours." He looked kindly at Tyler. "I must say that you are a curious individual. You have great amounts of Will inside of you. However, you are a danger to yourself and others if you cannot control that Will. Therefore, you will be trained here. If you do not learn anything else from here, I want you to learn self control."

Allison turned to the Guildmaster and asked, "You are seriously going to train this whelp?"

"Yes. And since you are so fond of him, I think I am going to make you roommates," the Guildmaster answered with a smile.

"What?! Guildmaster! Please! No!" Allison begged.

He shook his head, "It's settled. Run along, Allison, and continue your training." His tone indicated that the conversation was over. Allison hung her head and wandered toward the shooting range. The Guildmaster turned to face Tyler and said, "That is all for today. You may explore the Guild if you desire. Remember: this is your home now."

Tyler nodded and exited the melee training area. He turned left and walked toward a line of scarecrows. Another apprentice stood in front of the scarecrows and raised his hand. Lightning shot from his fingertips and struck all of the scarecrows at once. "Wow!" Tyler was clearly impressed. The apprentice ignored Tyler and continued zapping the scarecrows with lightning.

Tyler then noticed a line of rocks that acted as a bridge over a small stream. On the other side of the stream was a strange stone wall with a face carved into it. He approached the face, wanted to reach out and touch the stone. To his surprise, the face moved and spoke, "Your path is dark. Only a light will reveal it. And you are not bright enough."

"What?" Tyler asked, staring at the face. "I don't understand."

Another voice came from behind him. "Many have tried opening that door. No one understands the riddle." It was Wedge.

Another male apprentice was with him. "It's called a Demon Door. There's supposed to be several throughout Albion," he shrugged. "Oh, by the way, I'm Brock. Wedge has told me all about your eye popping experience."

Wedge shook his head, "Not eye popping. Eye busting. Get it right!"

Brock grinned, "Oh, yeah. Anyway, I just wanted to meet you. I overhead Maze talking to the Guildmaster just a bit ago and from what I gather, they are impressed with you. Although I did also overhear Allison whining to Maze as well—she's your roommate?"

"Yes," Tyler replied.

"Oh you poor sod," Brock lowered his head sadly.

When Tyler shot Wedge a questioning look, he answered, "Allison is supposedly the strongest apprentice here. By strength, I am talking about physical."

"I heard a rumor that she beat Thunder in an arm wrestling contest!" Brock exclaimed.

"Um…is that good?" Tyler asked, confused.

Wedge paused; looking puzzled, then asked, "Have you heard of Thunder?" He waiting for Tyler to shake his head and gasped, "Really? Have you been living under a rock? Thunder is the strongest Hero that the Guild has ever produced. He's a few years older than us and has a sister, Whisper. She's also training here."

"Is Whisper friendly?" Tyler asked.

Brock nodded, "Yes. I've noticed that she takes her studies a bit too seriously, though. Who could blame her? She has bit boots to fill with a brother like Thunder. If I recall correctly, she doesn't have a roommate yet. I wonder who will fill in that spot."

Wedge shrugged, "Who knows? Anyway, Brock and I better be heading back to training. Remember, Brock, today we're learning how to fire crossbows." The duo left Tyler and headed toward the firing range.

The day passed by quickly for Tyler. He had explored most of what the Guild had to offer. He visited the shop and investigated the dining area. He even found the Guild Woods and walked along the path—until he found several large beetles and turned back. As nightfall approached, Tyler found Allison.

"Hello," he said in a friendly voice.

She looked at him and answered, "Hi. Hey, um, nice try out there today. The way the scarecrow burst into flames was totally the outcome that you wanted."

"You know I did not mean for that to happen."

Allison shrugged, "Okay, Anyway, I'll lead you into our room. Follow me." She took Tyler up the stairs and into the dormitory. "Most apprentices sleep up here. Come on. This is our room." Allison walked into one of the rooms.

The room contained one bookcase, two dressers, and two beds. Tyler sat down on a bed and sighed, "What a day. I am so tired."

"Just you wait. When you start training, you will know tired. Now, go to sleep. You've got a big day tomorrow." Allison kicked off her boots and pulled back the blankets. She slipped into bed and muttered, "Good night."

Tyler also removed his boots and got into bed. He exhaled quietly and started to drift into an uneasy sleep. Little did he know, a major disaster was about to happen in Oakvale…


	4. Chicken Chaser

It was the middle of the night and Tyler was jolted awake by the voice of the Guildmaster. However, he was not talking to Tyler—the Guildmaster was talking to Allison. "I'm sorry, my dear. Maze has just returned from…an altercation in Oakvale," he said in a hushed voice.

Allison looked up and asked, "What's wrong? What has happened in Oakvale?"

Tyler listened eagerly as the Guildmaster answered regretfully, "Bandits. Bandits have attacked Oakvale. I'm sorry, Allison. The town was destroyed. Maze managed to save one boy and brought him back here. Since you and he are from Oakvale, I thought that maybe you could comfort him."

The sounds of sobbing drifted their way to Tyler's ears. _Allison is crying,_ he thought, trying to shift his body so that he could see her face.

"Was…was he the only survivor?" Allison asked in a trembling voice. The Guildmaster did not answer and she returned to her sobbing. After several minutes, she asked, "Why would bandits attack Oakvale? It's not a wealthy town."

"That is a good question. I am sorry for having to inform you about Oakvale. I know you have family that lived there. I wish that I could stay further but Maze needs me. Good night, Allison." The Guildmaster left the room. Tyler listened as the door shut.

"Allison? I didn't know that you were from Oakvale," he said, sitting up.

She looked over at him. Her eyes were puffy and red. Tears could still be seen flowing onto her cheeks. "You never asked," she answered.

Tyler nodded, "Fair enough. What exactly happened in Oakvale? Was there really a bandit attack?"

Allison sighed, "That's what the Guildmaster said. Apparently Maze arrived in Oakvale just in time to save a boy from being killed."

"And the boy was the only survivor?"

"I don't know! Ask Maze!"

Tyler shrugged, "I was just thinking that maybe a few people escaped into the forest. Perhaps your family saw the attack and ran away?"

She looked up at him and a faint smile crept across her face. "I never thought of that," she admitted. "Barrow Fields isn't too far away. They could have gone there, I suppose."

"See? Relax. We need to figure out a way to help this new boy." Tyler shifted back under the blanket and yawned. "But first, I think sleep is in order."

Allison nodded, "Yeah. I'll speak to the new boy tomorrow sometime. I wonder who is roommate is. I'm betting he was paired with Whisper."

"Possibly," Tyler answered sleepily. He shut his eyes and returned to dreaming. Although it felt as if he had only been asleep for a few seconds, he was woken by Allison. "What is it?" He asked.

She was fully dressed in her blue and white tunic. "It's morning. Get up! You start your training today. Good luck," Allison grinned.

"Aren't you training with me?" Tyler asked.

She laughed, "No. I've been here longer and have already been through the basic training. Today I'm in the library. I need to do some research for Maze."

"About what?" Tyler asked.

"About none of your business. Now get dressed. The Guildmaster is waiting for you," Allison answered and left the room.

Tyler got up and dressed in his own blue and white tunic. After he dressed, he made his way down the stairs and past the dining area. Once outside, he squinted, trying to find the Guildmaster. Tyler finally spotted him standing next to the melee training area. There was a boy inside, pummeling a dummy with a stick.

"Very good!" The Guildmaster nodded. "Well done! Now run along and explore. When you are ready to rest, just come back to me."

The boy nodded and exited the training area, tucking the stick behind his back. Tyler approached the Guildmaster. "Hello, sir. I am ready to begin my training," Tyler said.

"Oh, hello, Tyler. I want you to stay with the boy. Both you and he are new, so I think that you will make good company for each other," the Guildmaster replied.

Tyler nodded and walked up to the boy. "Well, hello. Who might you be?" He asked with a smile.

"Ranger. Although it seems that Whisper has given me a nickname. She calls me Farmboy. All because I was born and raised in Oakvale."

"Oh, don't worry about her. I've never met her yet. I wonder what nickname she'll give me."

Ranger shrugged and sighed, "I want to go home. But there is no home to go back to. Those bandits destroyed everything. I will make them pay."

"Easy there, killer. I don't think you'll avenge anyone with just a stick." Tyler pointed out. The duo walked into the garden, where a loud argument was taking place between Wedge and Brock.

"I tell you, no one is as fast as I am! I can run from here to the Demon Door in 50 seconds! Top that!" Brock boasted.

Wedge rolled his eyes, "You liar!"

"I did! And I bet that I am the fastest apprentice!"

Wedge shook his head, "I really hope that's not true. Otherwise you'll never shut up about it."

"Ask Raven! She timed me!" Brock insisted.

"Maybe I will. Or perhaps someone might be able to beat your time. 50 seconds, was it? Hey, Tyler! How fast of a runner are you?" Wedge asked.

Tyler hesitated, "Um…I can't beat 50 seconds. Sorry, Wedge."

"Damn. Okay, how about you?" Wedge looked at Ranger.

Ranger nodded, "I'm pretty fast. I could give it a go."

Brock grinned, "Okay. Hey, Raven! Come here!"

A pretty black haired girl approached them. Her voice was as sweet as honey. "Yes?" She replied.

"Do you still have that timing device?"

"Yes…"

Brock clapped his hands together and grinned, "Perfect! I want you to time the kid while he tries to beat me! 50 seconds to reach the Demon Door. And I want you to touch it. I had to. Are you ready?"

Ranger nodded, "I'm ready."

"You know, to make this more interesting…I'll give you 25 gold coins if you manage to beat my time. Not that you will. Ready? GO!" Brock yelled.

Tyler watched as Ranger bolted down the path and out of sight. Raven continued to count off the seconds. Wedge paced back and forth nervously. Raven announced, "40 seconds have passed."

Ranger appeared back into view and managed to reach Brock just as Raven said, "Time!"

"I can't believe it! You beat my time!" Brock gasped. He handed Ranger the 25 gold coins with a frown.

Wedge laughed, "Nice job, kid! What's your name?"

"Ranger," he said.

Brock shook his head, "Where are you from?"

"Oakvale."

"Ah, that explains a lot. It's farm country. Tell me, Ranger. Are there chickens in Oakvale?"

Ranger nodded, "Of course there are."

Brock sighed,"Huh. I never stood a chance against someone who chases chickens all day long. Huh, maybe I should start calling you Chicken Chaser."


	5. The Library

Weeks passed by and Tyler grew more competent in his studies. During the day, he spent his time training with a sword or bow. After dinner, he would stay late into the night at the library, studying spells and the various Hero legends. One evening, he was approached by Maze.

"I've noticed that you've grown more powerful in your study of Will. Very impressive. Although I will admit that your scores in Strength and Skill are a bit…lacking." Maze said, sitting down next to Tyler.

Tyler sighed, "I hope that my skills in those areas will improve. Allison does extremely well in those categories."

"True. But she lacks in Will. I have seen her cast a lightning spell. Very weak. If only we could combine your strength in Will and her power in Strength and Skill…you would make a fantastic pair." Maze tapped his finger against the table and examined the text that Tyler was reading. "Spell combining? That is advance magic. Not even I have attempted combining two spells."

Tyler shrugged, "It is an interesting theory."

Maze nodded, "How true it is. Well, I best be off. Come by my chamber sometime. If you are interesting in an advance study of Will, I will be more than happy to tutor you."

"Really?" Tyler perked up and nodded. "That would be wonderful."

Maze smiled, "I will see you later then." He stood up and walked out of the room.

Tyler watched him leave and looked back down at his book. He jumped in surprise as a rather large tome was sat down next to him. He looked up and saw Wedge. "Oh, hi," Tyler said with a grin.

"Hey. Doing to late night reading?" Wedge asked.

Tyler nodded and replied, "I see your doing the same."

"For your information, I am reading up on advance swordplay. I know custom states that a Hero should use only one melee weapon in battle. But Twinblade uses two swords. And that knowledge struck my fancy. If one sword is good, than two must be better."

"Nice logic," Tyler muttered.

Wedge shrugged, "What can I say? I like throwing tradition out of the window. I'm also doing a bit of research on dragons."

"You can't be serious. Dragons?"

"What? You expect me to research something as common as balverines? I am already well acquainted with balverines."

Tyler blinked and asked, "Balverines? Aren't they rare?"

"In the mainland, yes. But I'm from Knothole Glade. They are as common as vermin there." Wedge sighed. "I had an uncle who was bitten and turned. My father had to kill him. It was brutal."

"You never mentioned your family before. What does your family do?"

Wedge answered, "Blacksmithing. The family occupation passes to the eldest son. My older brother, Biggs, was to inherit the business. I decided to come to the Hero's Guild and be trained. It was fortunate that I had an aptitude for Will—otherwise I might not have been accepted."

"Wait. Can't anyone come here to be trained?" Tyler asked.

Wedge shook his head. "Sadly no. Not everyone has magical abilities. I asked the Guildmaster about it once and he said that being a Hero is generally passed down by blood. And not every Hero is good at everything. I overheard you and Maze. You show extreme competence in Will but not in Strength and Skill."

Tyler nodded, "Maze has agreed to train me in private."

"Did he? That is impressive. Maze has also shown an interest in Ranger. I wonder what skills that he has."

"I don't know. I haven't watched him train."

Wedge sighed, "Oh well….I better be heading off. I have exams tomorrow. I believe they are my final exams, and then I have to face the BIG exam. Y'know, the secret final exam. Then I think I can graduate after that."

"What happens after you graduate?" Tyler asked.

"I'll become a full fledged Hero. That's when those quest cards start being useful. You use those to find people who need a Hero, for good or ill. You complete the task that is associated with the card and earn a nice little reward as a result."

Tyler nodded, "Ah. I see."

Wedge smiled, "Wish me luck." He picked up his books and left the library.

Tyler exhaled and went back to reading his text. _To combine spells, one must have complete and total control and focus. Raise one hand and focus on the spell of choice. Once it is formed, raise the other hand and focus on the other spell. Be careful to not lose the first spell._ Tyler felt his eyelids begin to droop. He shook his head and continued reading; _One may notice an unpleasant sensation while maintaining two separate spells_.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" A girl's voice asked from behind him.

Tyler turned and noticed a black haired girl. "Oh, hello…umm…" He could not remember her name.

"Raven," she answered with a smile. "We've never been formally introduced. You are Tyler, correct?" After he nodded, she continued, "And you are studying spell combining. That is a difficult concept to grasp."

"I'm just studying it. I don't plan on ever using spell combining in an actual battle."

"Keep that book away from Brock. Knowing him, he'd probably try to combine fireball and lightning and make one hell of a mess," Raven grinned.

"Wedge is studying advance swordplay and dragons. Anything to say about that?"

Raven shook her head in amazement. "Wedge is nowhere near as reckless as Brock. And I have seen him using a sword. He's good. Brock's good, too. Although, knowing Wedge, he'd probably cook up a scheme to find a dragon and ride it."

"Aren't dragons extinct?"

"No. They're rare. From what Wedge has told me, dragons are found in the Northern Wastes. If he could find a way to reach there, I'm sure he would go and seek out a dragon. Then probably get eaten."

Tyler chuckled, "That sounds about right."

Raven smiled and stood up. "I need to be going. It's late. You should probably get some sleep. I heard that the Guildmaster is going to be taking the new recruits to the firing range. I'm thinking it's going to be you, Ranger, and Whisper. And I also heard that Briar Rose is coming by."

"Who's Briar Rose?"

"She's a Hero. Briar already graduated and has a rather large ego. She'll probably nitpick but don't worry. I'm sure you'll do fine," Raven ruffled Tyler's hair and exited the library.

Tyler watched her leave and sighed, "Well, I better leave." He stood up and wandered into the torch lit darkness of the hall.


	6. The Exams

Weeks crept into years. Tyler had grown from being a temperamental boy into a fine young man. His control of Will had improved greatly as well. However, try as he might, Tyler was not skilled in melee or ranged combat. His roommate, Allison, had proven herself well in melee and ranged combat. Unlike Tyler, she was painfully weak at Will. Ranger and Whisper, who usually spent their days trying to best each other, were quite strong. Although, in Tyler's opinion, it was Ranger who was the stronger of the two—he had done well with a bow and using a stick in melee combat. At the time, the apprentices were not allowed to use steel weapons against each other.

Wedge, Brock, and Raven graduated from the Guild. Tyler still saw them, though, as they came back to the map and read over the quest cards. More often than not, a loud argument would break out between Brock and Wedge over which quest was better or who had more renown.

Before Tyler knew it, it was the day of the final exams. Inside of their shared dorm room, Allison gathered her belongings and slung her quiver behind her back. "Good luck. Don't forget to keep your eyes on each target when you fire at them. I've heard that the targets move back and forth," she warned Tyler.

Tyler sighed, "That's going to be fun. My score in the Will exam should more than make up my lackluster scores in the others."

"Don't be so negative. You don't know that you'll do badly. I have to hope my skill with lightning is enough to hit all the targets in the Will range."

With that, Tyler and Allison made their way out of the room and into the hall. They encountered Ranger and Whisper as they walked down the stairs. "Hello, guys!" Whisper smiled when Tyler and Allison reached the duo.

"Hi, Whisper. Are you ready for the final exams?" Tyler asked.

She shrugged, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

"How about you, Ranger?"

Ranger nodded, "I think I'll do well. I've studied hard. To be honest, if I ever want to avenge my family, I have no choice but to do well."

Allison patted Ranger on the back. "I want to avenge the fallen in Oakvale as well. Let us both do well," she agreed.

The group walked out into the sun. "Good luck!" Tyler called to Whisper and Ranger as the duo separated from Allison and Tyler. They watched as Ranger approached the melee area and speak to the instructor. He opened the gate and ushered Ranger and Whisper inside.

"Are they going to pair Ranger and Whisper in melee combat?" Allison asked.

Tyler examined her up and down. "If they pair us together for the exam, you're going to kill me. Even if we use sticks…you will annihilate me."

Allison raised a hand for Tyler to be silent. "They're not using sticks. Ranger is using a metal sword and Whisper is using her staff. This is going to be good."

Tyler watched as Ranger swung his sword at Whisper. She leaped aside nimbly. Ranger blocked her incoming blow easily. Allison winced as Ranger knocked Whisper over with a powerful swing of his sword. Whisper jumped back to her feet but was knocked back down again. "Okay, okay! You win, Farmboy!" She finally conceded defeat.

The instructor nodded and exclaimed, "Very good! Ranger, you get an A+. Outstanding! If you keep fighting like that, you could win in the Arena! Whisper, you get a B+. Try to switch back and forth between offense and defense. You'll never defeat your opponent just by defending." He reached down and grabbed a sword. "This is a katana. I was supposed to give it to the best score. Here you are, Ranger!"

Ranger took the katana and nodded, "Thank you."

Whisper sighed and walked toward the Will examination area, while Ranger went toward the archery range. The melee instructor beckoned Tyler and Allison forward. _I'm doomed,_ Tyler thought as he walked forward.

The instructor spoke, "Are you two ready to take your exam yet? I can't offer you the katana if you score an A+, but what I can offer you is a mace." He opened the wooden gate.

"Come on, Tyler. I promise I won't slice you in half." Allison said, making her way to the center of the melee area.

Tyler groaned and joined Allison. The instructor clapped his hands and said, "Okay. Get ready! Go!"

Both Tyler and Allison reached for their swords. It was painfully obvious which of them was more skilled in melee combat as Tyler clumsily swung his sword at Allison. She rolled aside easily. Then she swiped her sword at Tyler. Even though the blades had been dulled down to prevent serious injury, the blow still hurt.

After several minutes, the instructor yelled, "Enough! I've seen enough! Allison, well done. A+! You have earned the mace. Tyler….you need practice. I will not insult you by giving you a score. Perhaps you will do better in another subject."

Tyler hung his head. Allison gave him a pat on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry. You will annihilate my score in the Will exam."

The duo left the melee area and walked toward the archery field. The instructor that was charged with scoring apprentices in the art of Skill saw Allison and Tyler approaching. "Hello, Allison! Are you ready to test your skill in the archery range? I was going to give the top scoring apprentice a crossbow, but Ranger has already claimed that prize."

"Ranger is that good?" Allison asked, looking impressed.

"Oh, yes. He's quite skilled. Anyway, are you ready to test your abilities with a bow?"

She nodded and took the bow from the instructor. Tyler watched as Allison fitted an arrow on the bowstring and pulled back. Her targets were the three dummies that ran back and forth on their tracks. She released the arrow and it sailed toward the dummy in the back.

"Nice shot!" Tyler exclaimed as the arrow when completely through the dummy.

She ignored him and continued to fire. After thirty seconds of dummy carnage, the instructor called out, "Enough! Allison, you score an A+. Very nice, almost as good as Ranger…but next time, try not to destroy the dummies."

Tyler examined the field. Each of the three dummies was nearly annihilated. Their arms were barely hanging on by straw. "Jeez, Allison. Looks like I can't take the exam, huh?" Tyler tried to hide the glee in his voice.

The Skill instructor sighed, "Yes. Sorry, Tyler. It looks like you are unable to take the exam. I'll mark you as incomplete due to dummy destruction. I'm sure that the Guildmaster will still pass you. After all, it's not your fault that you can't take the exam."

Tyler was nearly dancing as him and Allison walked away from the Skill examination area. It was no secret that he was looking forward to the Will examination area. The duo approached a band of dummies standing in a line. The Will instructor looked at Tyler and looked nervous. "Hello, Tyler and Allison. Are you two ready to take your exam?" His voice was filled with tension. It was clear that he was dreading Tyler's performance.

"I'll go first…" Allison said with a sigh. She raised her hand and attempted to shoot a ball of fire at one of the dummies. The flame sputtered and fizzled in her hand, and then it died. "I am not good at using magic…" She muttered.

"Clearly," the instructor agreed. Then he turned to Tyler and whimpered, "Go ahead. Please try not to destroy all the dummies…or set me on fire."

Tyler walked forward and waited until Allison and the instructor were a fair distance away. "Alright, let's do this…" he mumbled to himself. Tyler raised his hands to the sky and yelled, "Lightning! Come forth!"

Clouds formed above him and thunder could be heard in the distance. "Oh Avo, help us…" the instructor whispered as a massive bolt of lightning shot down from the heavens. The bolt split into five separate bolts and stuck each of the five dummies, setting each of them on fire.

Tyler watched as the fire engulfed the dummies and the nearby tree. He turned and grinned, "How was that?"

Allison clapped her hands, "Way to go! That was terrifying! I think that would even make Jack of Blades tremble in his boots."

The instructor exhaled and said, "A+. You didn't kill anyone…just a tree and some dummies."

Allison clamped her hand on Tyler's shoulder. "I think that your Will abilities may have saved you. I wonder when we're going to take our final exam. You know…the super secret one?"

"Okay….how do you know about it if it's supposed to be secret?"

Allison smiled, "Wedge. He told me about it. Or at least hinted about it. Said that you get to fight one of our teachers. I wonder who it is."

Tyler rubbed his chin and answered, "Maybe the Guildmaster?"

"Maze?"

"Oooo…that would be a good battle," Tyler nodded. He looked up at the sun and muttered, "Well, if we have any hope of graduating on time, we better go see the Guildmaster and see what else he wants us to do. Hopefully my poor Strength and Skill scores don't hold me back too much."

"I wonder how Ranger did in his examinations," Allison wondered.

Tyler shrugged, "I'm going to assume he did well. Anyway, let's go find the Guildmaster and see what our next challenge is."


	7. Maze's Final Test

Tyler and Allison made their way into the map room, expecting to find the Guildmaster and learn of the final exam. Sure enough, he was there, waiting for the duo to arrive. "I have heard about your scores on your exams. Well done, Allison, on your melee and ranged exams. Tyler, you did well not to kill anyone in your Will exam." The Guildmaster seemed pleased with their scores.

"Sir? Have we finished with our exams yet?" Tyler asked, although he knew that there one last exam.

The Guildmaster smiled and answered, "Not yet. There is but one final challenge. Ranger and Whisper are in the middle of their exam right now. Wait at the entrance of the Guild Woods. You'll know when to enter."

Allison and Tyler nodded. They both knew that their entire future depended on this one last exam. Tyler began to worry, _Maybe I'm not strong enough to be a Hero. I can't swing a sword to save my life. My magic is the only thing that would save me from a life or death situation._ He looked up. "That was fast. We're already at the Guild Woods. Now what?" He asked Allison.

"We wait," she answered.

Seconds ticked by. Tyler started to pace nervously back and forth. "What happens if we fail?" He worried.

Allison leaned against a tree. She answered, "We won't fail. You doubt yourself too much. Have a little faith."

Tyler sighed, then turned sharply at the sound of feet hitting the grass. Whisper emerged from the Guild Woods. "Whew! Good luck in there. Ranger is coming out shortly," she said. Tucking her staff behind her back, she walked swiftly back to the Guild.

"Wonder how she did..." Allison muttered.

Tyler shrugged and spotted an ant climbing up a tree. He stared at it for several seconds, until he became bored. "How much longer until Ranger comes out? What's he doing anyway? Running a marathon?" He asked.

"I wasn't running a marathon," a voice came from behind Tyler. It was Ranger. "Well, I passed. Good luck, you two. I was told to send you both at the same time. Go on," Ranger urged.

Tyler and Allison nodded and entered the Guild Woods together. In the clearing, at the top of the hill, was Maze. He turned to face the duo and asked, "Do you know why I sent for both of you?" He watched as the apprentices looked confused, then continued, "I sent for you at the same time because each of you make up for what the other lacks. During this exam, you will have to strike at me with a sword, fire upon me with your bow, and cast lightening at me. I have been waiting the both of you closely and decided months ago that you would work as a team against me."

"Sir? Isn't that providing us with an unfair advantage? Didn't Ranger and Whisper have to take their exams alone?" Allison asked.

Maze looked puzzled, "You would rather fail than work as a team? I've giving you an opportunity to combine forces and be successful. Alone, you would fail...probably die if this were a real battle." He removed his sword. "Hit me, if you can." Maze teleported several feet away and waiting.

Tyler nodded to Allison, "This is your area of expertise. Use that mace on him. Y'know, the one you got from the melee exam."

Allison grinned, "Sounds good." She removed the mace from her back and ran at Mace. She swung her mace with all of her might, expecting to shatter Maze's sword or arm...whatever she hit first. Instead, Maze dodged with blinding speed. Allison swung again with a quick strike. This time it was a hit.

"Use your anger!" Maze urged. "Pretend _I_ was the one who destroyed Oakvale!" Allison's eyes flashed angrily and swung her mace again. Maze was struck again. He goaded, "Your village was destroyed! Now hit me!" Tyler watched in amazement as Allison yelled like a feral beast and swung her mace as hard as she could. The blow connected with Maze's jaw, causing a bit of blood to appear on his noble face. Maze raised his hand up and nodded, "Very good. Now for ranged combat. Use your bow and shoot me."

Tyler watched as Allison grabbed her bow. Maze teleported further away and watched with amusement as Allison fired an arrow at him. Using his sword, he knocked it away easily. Allison lined up another arrow and fired again. This process was repeated until Maze said, "Enough. Now for the Will part of the exam. Tyler, you've been watching long enough. Now show me what you have learned."

Tyler approached Maze nervously and asked, "What would you like me to do?"

"Hit me. Use whatever spell that you want."

Running down a list of spells in his mind, Tyler considered using Maze to experiment on spell weaving. According to his studies, the art of combining spells had never been used in combat before. _Until now,_ he thought, preparing himself to unleash his most potent spells against Maze.

Maze watched with narrowed eyes as Tyler's hands glowed with two different energies. _One hand contains a fire spell and the other appears to be handling an electrical spell. Is he really going to try it?_ Maze looked pleased that one of his best students was about to attempt to spell weave.

Tyler threw both of his hands forward, launching both spells. The fire and lightening combined into a blast of molten lightening, hitting Maze with such force that Maze was sent backwards several feet. "Very good! I'm going to give you both a pass. Although you were impressive, bare in mind that I was not fighting back. You'll find real battles to be more fatal than this. Your opponents will not just stand their and let you hit them. Keep that in mind. Now, go on. The Guildmaster is waiting for you. Your graduation will commence shortly!"


	8. Graduation and Quest Cards

Inside of the Hero's Guild was the Chamber of Fate, considered by many to be the oldest room in all of the guild. It was there that graduation ceremony was to take place. The room was filled with people, mostly young apprentices, watching with envy as their elders gained their Guild Seals. Tyler watched from the shadows as legendary Heroes entered the room. _There's Thunder. No doubt he's here to wish his sister well on her path to greatness,_ Tyler thought, watching the mighty warrior enter the chamber. Then he noticed Allison run up to the hulk of a man. Even from a distance, Tyler could tell that she was attempting to flirt with Thunder.

Tyler exhaled nervously and returned to scanning the room. Maze teleported into the chamber, looking anxious. Ranger approached Maze and the two began to talk. I wonder what they're talking about, Tyler thought.

The Guildmaster entered the room and approached the elevated circle in the middle of the room. Maze stood to the Guildmaster's left and Thunder stood on the right. "Young Heroes, come," he said calmly. The room became hushed as Ranger and Whisper moved toward the middle.

Tyler and Allison followed suite, moving slowly behind the first duo. "We've made it," Allison whispered to Tyler and winked.

The Guildmaster cleared this throat and said, "For years you have trained for this day and, at last, it has come. Once you leave this place, it will be your time to make a stamp on the world. Will you be known as benevolent keepers of the peace? Or will you follow the ways of darkness and harm others? It is time for you to choose your destiny! Go on. Take your Guild Seal and go forth as Heroes!"

Tyler reached up and took his Guild Seal. It was lighter than he expected and it emitted a warm feeling as he examined it closely. He turned as the audience began to clap and cheer for the new Heroes. Maze moved past the Guildmaster and raised both his hands. The audience grew silent. "Yes. We are all pleased with our new Heroes. But we cannot allow ourselves to grow arrogant. These are uncertain times, as I'm sure our young friends know. Unlike the elders here, you young Heroes may be forced to face foes may times more powerful than you." Maze's gaze fell on Ranger. "Keep your wits about you and never neglect your training. Albion might need you one day to protect it from an evil far worse that anything we've seen in ages."

Tyler looked puzzled and shot a glance over at Ranger, just to see if he knew what Maze was talking about. Ranger looked just as puzzled as Tyler. Maze looked at the audience, sighed, and teleported out of the Chamber of Fate. The Guildmaster watched as the blue light vanished and smiled, "Alright, children, it's time for you to go. But I do have packs filled with supplies for you near the entrance of the Guild. Do not forget to grab one before you leave. Even though you are fully fledged Heroes, you are still very much apart of the Guild. You'll need to return for Quest Cards and other items from time to time."

Ranger and Whisper exited the Chamber of Fate first, with a roar of applause ushering them out. Tyler and Allison followed closely. "The Guildmaster said that he left packs for us. Let's go!" Whisper said as she ran down the hall. Ranger was hot on her heels. Tyler and Allison shook their heads and brought up the rear.

Past the map table, there were four packs lying on the ground. Ranger lifted his and noticed a lamp. "Ooooo! I have an idea!" He slung his pack over his shoulder and ran in the direction of the training grounds.

"Where's he off to in such a hurry?" Whisper wondered. She shrugged, "Oh well, it's of no concern to me. I'll be off. Good luck!" With that, she opened the door and left the Guild.

Tyler and Allison looked at each other and shrugged. Several Quest Cards were sitting on the map. Allison picked one up and read it. "Boy, we are no where close enough to doing this quest. It says: 'Hero needed in Knothole Glade to stop a troll infestation.' Boy, what a mess."

"This one here says: 'Wasps attack the picnic area. Hero needed urgently.' HAH! Who would want to fight some insects?" Tyler laughed.

The sound of huffing and footsteps made both Tyler and Allison turn. Ranger was walking up the steps, looking pleased with himself. "I did it. I solved the riddle of the Demon Door."

"You did what? How?" Both Tyler and Allison looked amazed.

"Well, it said that my path was dark and that I wasn't bright enough yet. I saw that lamp and it hit me. My path is dark, so why not light it up with a lamp's flame? The Demon Door seemed surprised that someone figured it out and let me inside."

"What was in there?" Allison asked in awe.

Ranger shrugged, "Not much. A chest containing some kind of liquid. A few books. That pretty much sums it up. Oh, there was a tattoo card inside. Makes your face look like a balverine."

"Who would want to do that?" Tyler wondered.

Ranger shook his head and looked over at the map table. "Hey! Quest Cards! The Guildmaster told me that we need to do quests if we ever hope to get stronger. Let me see here...nope...nope...wow, someone has to wrestle a hobbe, the poor sod...nah...hmmm. Hmmm! I can do this one. Kill a bunch of wasps. No problem. Okay, you two, don't get yourselves killed and I'll see you later! I've got me some people to save!"

Tyler and Allison watched in amazement as Ranger took his pack and left the Guild, proudly holding the Wasp Attack Quest Card in his hand. "He actually is going to lower himself to killing bugs?" Allison asked, looking shocked.

"I suppose people want Heroes to do all sorts of things. Oh look...here's someone wanting a Hero to dig out a place for a toilet."

"That's not dangerous!"

"It is if it's near nymph infested waters...Let's just grab a Quest Card and hope for the best." Tyler picked up a random card and looked at it. "Says here that someone in Bowerstone tried to raise someone from the dead using a strange book. We're going to need to get rid of the undead and get that book."

"Sounds easy enough. And we're not killing bugs. Let's go." Allison grabbed her pack and exited the Guild. "You coming?" She called back.

"Yeah!" Tyler said excitedly. He followed after her and into the sunlight.


	9. Normanomicon

The scent outside of the Hero's Guild nearly overtook Tyler, who was used to the smell of musty books and stone walls. "Boy, it smells a bit strong out here, huh?" He asked Allison.

She frowned, "It would smell fine to you if you hadn't just stepped in a pile of manure." Allison flipped her red hair and sighed, "There are wild animals out here, you know. You've got to be mindful of where you step."

Tyler groaned and rubbed his foot against the ground. "Well we're off to a good start," he muttered.

Allison shook her head, "Oh, no matter. Let's head to Bowerstone and see what this undead business is all about."

"I haven't been back to Bowerstone since I was a kid. I wonder how much it has changed since I left there." Tyler rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "We really should stop by Bowerstone Quay. I want to see if those men still fist fight at night."

"Didn't you cause someone's eyes to explode?"

"...yes..."

For a while, the duo walked in silence up the hill. At the top was a statue and several benches. "Bowerstone is past that bridge," Allison pointed down one side of the hill. The pair hurried down the hill and onto the impressive bridge. At the entrance was two guards. "I wonder if they'll let us pass?"

Tyler shrugged, "Don't see any reason why not. If they have an undead monster on the loose, I'd think they'd let us through."

As they approached, the guards looked increasingly wary of them. "Move along there, strangers. Lady Grey has ordered that only a Hero can enter with weapons. There's something on the loose inside."

"We're Heroes," Tyler said, showing the Guild Seal.

One of the guards nodded, "Good enough for me. Go on and kill the nasty thing before someone gets hurt."

Tyler hurried inside Bowerstone and looked around. Directly ahead of him was the tavern, which was generally busy. The doors were locked shut. _This isn't the Bowerstone I remember. Where are all the children?_ He wondered.

Allison nodded toward a sound, "I can hear something strange...sounds like whimpering" She removed her mace and proceeded foward with caution.

Tyler cracked his knuckles and followed closely. He saw the school on the hill and heard someone yell, "Not this way, stupid! Turn around! Lady Grey's in danger!" A Bowerstone North guard had caught up to the duo and panted, "You've passed it up! It's not attacking the commoners! It's trying to kill Lady Grey!"

Tyler and Allison turned, running back toward the tavern. A flight of stairs would lead them to Bowerstone North. "Let's go! Who knows what sort of mad creature is up there," Tyler opened the doors.

Bowerstone North was far nicer than its poorer district. Flowers grew in neat little pots and a stone swan shot water from its mouth in the fountain. Tyler heard someone scream. "Come on!" He shouted, running toward the sound of the scream.

The scream came from within the halls of Bowerstone Manor, where Lady Grey lived. Tyler used his magic to cause the doors to blow off their hinges. Allison was behind him. "So where is she? This place is huge," she asked.

Tyler listened carefully. He could hear the sounds of shuffling and groaning. "It's this way!" He yelled, running down the hall and up the stairs. He opened another door and saw Lady Grey cowering behind her bed.

"KILL IT!" She howled like a wounded dog.

Tyler turned to face his opponent and winced. It had been a man, but was dead and hollow. "I'll save you from this hollow man!" Tyler yelled and used a fireball to ignite the monster. In a matter of seconds, the hollow man had turned into dust.

Lady Grey emerged from behind her bed. "What sort of monster was that? And why would it attack me?!" She demanded.

"Not sure, ma'am. But rest assured I will find the culprit and bring him to justice." Tyler said in a deep voice. Allison rolled her eyes.

Lady Grey fixed her long blonde hair and looked at Tyler with a steely gaze. "You had better. No one makes the Mayor of Bowerstone look like a fool and gets away with it." She glared at Allison. "You better remove those weapons. There are children in this town."

Tyler and Allison exited the Bowerstone Manor and returned back to Bowerstone South. "Well, we should whoever summoned that hollow man." Tyler said, looking around.

"Why do you call it a 'hollow man'?" Allison asked.

"Well, it was a man and it was hollow, hence hollow man," Tyler explained.

Allison shook her head and stopped. "Well, hi there, children," she said gently. "What do you have there?"

Tyler turned and saw the two children. One of them was holding a book. "We wanted to turn Lady Grey into a monster," the boy explained.

"She's so mean!" The girl exclaimed.

"Oh? I can't say I disagree with you, but why would you do it? Try to turn her into a monster?" Allison asked gently.

Tears started to form in the girl's eyes. "She took our parents away to the Hill," she whimpered.

"The Hill?" Allison asked.

Tyler answered, "Headsman's Hill. You can guess what they do there." His face was grim.

"Why would Lady Grey take your parents away?" Allison asked.

The boy answered, "She found out that Mom brews special drinks and wanted to give one to Jack. But Mom refused and Dad fought the guards when they tried to take her away."

"Potions. Your mother brewed potions. And Lady Grey wanted to give one to Jack of Blades? Why?" Allison wondered.

"We don't know! We did find this book on a shelf in the school library...before Lady Grey sold away all the books." The children handed Allison the book. "Are we in trouble?"

Tyler sighed and shook his head. "Of course not. Run along now. Just leave us the book." He said gently.

The children ran off and Allison examined the book carefully. "I know this book. I studied about it back at the Guild. It's called the Normanomicon, the Book of the Extremely Dead. See the leather that binds it? It's human flesh. Inside this book contains some of the worst spells ever to be thought of."

"What are you going to do with it?" Tyler asked.

"Keep it."

"Why?"

Allison shrugged, "That way it never falls into the wrong hands again. I'll probably pass it to my children and they'll pass it along to their children. That way we can be perfectly sure no idiots get their hands on it and use it to...I don't know...summon one hundred hollow men to terrorize graveyard or have a banshee attack a seaport."

Tyler shook his head, "Paranoid much?"

"You can never be too careful when it comes to the dark arts of Skorm." Allison pulled out the Quest Card and saw a check appeared on it. "Looks like we've completed this quest. Let's head back to the Guild and pick out a new Quest Card."


	10. Balverine pups and the Golden Acorn

Tyler and Allison exited Bowerstone North, glad to put the glares of Lady Grey behind them. As they walked down the steps, Tyler noticed Maze standing near the tavern. "Hello, Maze! What brings you to Bowerstone?" He asked cheerfully.

Maze answered, "I'm waiting for Ranger. I have information for his ears alone. Now run along."

"I wonder how his wasp killing went," Allison muttered. There was the slight hint of a snicker in her voice.

Maze frowned with disapproval. "You may mock now, but the journey only gets tougher. You will one day miss the frivolous quests."

Tyler sighed, "Let's head back to the Guild and get a new Quest Card. Come on, Allison." They turned and walked away from the tavern and Maze. Once they were out of the range for Maze to hear, Tyler whispered, "Why didn't you mention the Normanomicon to Maze? He could have found a safe place in the Guild for it."

Allison closed her eyes and answered, "This is going to sound strange, but I don't feel comfortable in Maze finding out we have that book. Let's just keep it between us for now."

"Okay." Tyler was perplexed. Is Allison doubting Maze's trustworthiness? He's the leader of the Hero's Guild! If we can't trust Maze, then who can we trust? He thought, bitterly. Tyler was so fixated on Maze that he nearly walked into Ranger.

"Tyler! Pay attention!" Ranger grumbled, bumping into several barrels that lined the streets. A guard shot him a dirty look as a barrel fell over.

"Sorry, Ranger. How was the wasps?"

He shrugged, "Had to fight the Wasp Queen. She didn't put up much of a fight. I do have her head as a trophy, though. Want to see?"

Allison and Tyler leaned closer as Ranger pulled the insect head from his pack. Yellow ooze had crusted over and caked to where the head had been severed from the body. The massive eyes were slightly clouded over and the antenna was drooping slightly. The mandibles were impressive, though. "Okay, you're lying. You have to be. That fight must have been intense," Allison marveled.

Ranger shrugged, "Not really. Put a few arrows in it and it fell like a stone to the ground. What about you two? Anything exciting happen?"

"Meh. Just a rampaging hollow man. Pretty much sums up our fun." Tyler decided that if Maze couldn't know about the Normanomicon, Ranger shouldn't know of it as well.

"Fantastic. Well, I need to be heading off. The Guildmaster informed me that Maze wanted to talk to me. He mentioned the..." his voice became hushed, "Oakvale massacre."

Allison looked concerned, "Why would Maze make you relive that nightmare?"

"I don't know," Ranger shook his head. "I'll see you two later." He turned and walked toward the tavern.

Tyler looked at Allison and sighed, "Let's head back. Maybe we can get a really great Quest Card. But do you want to walk? We could use our Guild Seals and teleport back."

"I forgot we can do that. Okay. Let's do that," she agreed.

Both of them closed their eyes and felt the Guild Seal's energy overtake them. They envisioned the Guild and a strange humming sound filled their ears. Slowly, they opened their eyes and saw the familiar shadows of the Guild. "We've made it," Tyler whispered with glee.

Over by the map table stood a familiar figure. "Well, I see you've mastered teleportation. Nice work. Although I am a bit surprised that one of you didn't end up in a wall." Wedge approached the two and clasped his hands on their shoulders. "How has it been?"

"Good. What have you been up to, Wedge? It's been a while since we last saw you," Tyler smiled at his old friend.

He answered, "I've been relocating a couple of balverine pups that found their way into Barrow Fields."

"Balverines have babies?" Allison asked.

"Well, they do if a baby has been bitten by one. I don't have the heart to kill a pup so I take them back to Witchwood and release them."

"What exactly do these pups look like? Are they as ugly as the adults?" Tyler asked.

Wedge shook his head. "They look like regular babies...just with fur...and teeth...and claws...and the tail. Can't forget about the tail."

"So they don't look anything like human children," Allison stated.

"I guess they don't," Wedge answered with a grin. "I can tell you this...if the pups bite you, you're safe. I suppose they haven't developed their venom yet. Which is good, or I would be a balverine by now."

"You've been bitten?" Tyler asked.

Wedge nodded, "By the babies. Not by the adults."

Allison shuddered and decided to change the subject. "So what are you doing back at the Guild?" She asked, trying to sound lighthearted.

"Picking out a new Quest Card," he answered.

"Any good ones?" Tyler asked.

Wedge glanced down, "I think I might take the Orchard Farm quest. Sounds interesting."

"What's Orchard Farm's quest?"

"I can either protect it from bandits or assist the bandits."

Tyler looked at the Quest Cards and lifted one up. "While that does sound good, I'm thinking this one sounds better. Here." He handed Wedge the card and said, "I think you'll get a much better reward by doing this one."

Wedge looked at the card carefully. "This one wants a Hero to escort a bunch of traders to Oakfield. That's pretty far away."

"You scared?"

Wedge scoffed, "No. Look at the map, Tyler. Oakfield isn't even on the map. I don't know why the Guildmaster would put this Quest Card here. Not many know about Oakfield. It's a fairly new settlement."

"Sounds an awful lot like Oakvale, doesn't it?" Allison asked.

"We'll go with you, Wedge. To help you," Tyler offered.

"I'll send for Brock and Raven. Maybe they'll be up for a little adventure?" Wedge grinned. "Oh, before I forget, during one of my quests, I found a little golden acorn. Maybe I'll bring it with me for good luck."


	11. Delayed at Bowerstone

Upon Wedge's request, the Guildmaster summoned Raven and Brock to the Guild. Raven, who looked a bit puzzled about the call, asked, "Okay, Wedge, why are we here exactly? Brock and I were doing quest that would have paid handsomely if we had finished. So why again are we here?"

Wedge replied, "Apparently we all are going on a little quest up north."

"To?" Brock asked rudely.

"Oakfield."

Brock and Raven glanced at Tyler and Allison. "Why?" They both asked at the same time.

Tyler answered, "There's a group of traders that are wanted to be escorted there. So I thought that it would be a good idea if we went together. Think of the adventure! We're going someplace that not many have."

Brock cleared his throat and asked, "So the thrill of adventure is more profitable than assisting wealthy landowners in removing pests from their land?"

"Errr...think of the experience we'll gain!" Tyler exclaimed.

Raven shook her head, causing her long black hair to shimmer in the light. "Oh to be that young again..." She sighed, "Well, since we're already here, we might as well go. What do you think, Brock?"

He shrugged, "Fine. But I am going to use the cullis gate to reach Bowerstone. I am not keen on walking all the way there."

Allison glanced at the Quest Card and said, "Says that the traders will be waiting for us at Windmill Hill. I think that's not far from Bowerstone. Right?"

"It's not far from Bargate Prison either..." Brock said in a hushed voice. Everyone leaned in and he continued, "I've heard that if you're sentenced to Bargate, no one will ever see or hear from you again. Rumor has it that if you die, the other prisoners eat your remains."

"And who told you those rumors?" Wedge asked.

Brock paused, then said, "You don't want to know."

"Actually, yes, I would like to know," Wedge insisted.

"No. You don't want to know," Brock growled.

Tyler, Allison, and Raven ignored the bickering and stepped onto the cullis gate. "We'll meet you in Bowerstone as soon as your finished arguing," Raven called to Brock and Wedge. Bright light filled their eyes and before they could draw in their next breath, the trio found themselves in Bowerstone.

Tyler stepped onto the grass and looked around. The town seemed busy as normal. Children were running around, playing Hero. One boy shouted, "I'm Jack! Fear me!"

"I'm not afraid of you! I'm Briar Rose!" A little girl cried out and proceeded to chase the boy around a tree.

"Ah, kids," Raven said fondly. "I do love children."

The cullis gate flashed again. Brock and Wedge joined the trio. Tyler noticed that Brock had gained a black eye since last he saw him. "Nice eye, Brock," Tyler teased.

"Shut up..." Brock growled.

Wedge shrugged, "Well, I did find out where he heard those stupid rumors about Bargate Prison. From a lady in Darkwood Bordello."

Raven punched Brock on the shoulder and hissed, "You said you'd never visit that place again!"

"Sorry, I couldn't help it..." Brock whimpered.

Tyler and Allison shook their heads and began their way up the steps toward Bowerstone North. A guard looked at them and snorted, "What do you kids think you're doing?"

"Passing through," Tyler answered.

"Not on my watch, you ain't. Get back down those stairs now!" The guard shouted.

Tyler and Allison backed away slowly. "Please, sir. We have to pass by. We have to help some traders reach Oakfield."

"If you're going to Oakvale, you need to go south. Not north. Stupid tourists..." The guard muttered.

"Not Oakvale. Oakfield. It's a new settlement." Allison explained.

The guard scratched his chin. "Nope. I ain't never heard of Oakfield. Now get lost!"

Defeated, Tyler and Allison returned to Raven, Wedge, and Brock. "The guard won't let us pass into Bowerstone North," Tyler growled.

Wedge shook his head. "You honestly thought you would just waltz your way into Lady Grey's territory? No. Brock and I found a way past Bowerstone North without being seen by the guards. It requires a little bit of stealth and some speed though."

"What is the plan?" Allison asked.

"Just you wait until night. Then you'll see what I have in mind..." Wedge said with an evil grin.


	12. Wedge's Plan

The sounds of snoring could be heard through the windows as Tyler and the others crept silently past the houses of Bowerstone South. "So what's this brilliant plan of yours, Wedge?" Tyler asked, sounding skeptical.

Wedge grinned, "Well, I have this friend..."

"Okay?" Tyler frowned.

"I saved her life so she owes me. I think she might be able to help us sneak into Bowerstone North. Remember Maddie, Brock?" Wedge called to his friend in a whisper.

Brock shuddered, "Not her. And not her plan. I am not dressing up like a woman again."

"Say what?" Tyler gasped.

Allison nudged Raven and muttered, "So that's Wedge's plan? For all of us to dress as women and go through the gate."

Wedge hesitated and mumbled, "I wish I could say we'll be dressing as noblewomen, though. See, Maddie was originally a member of the Darkwood Bordello. I helped her escape that place and brought her here. She has several outfits that I think will fit our needs."

"Oh, Avo help us..." Tyler groaned as he followed Wedge to a house. Clothes hung from the clothesline and a couple of chickens had found a place to roost in the flowerbed. "This is...errrr...lovely?" Tyler offered.

Wedge ignored the comment and knocked on the door. "Maddie? It's Wedge. Open up."

"Wedge? Is that you?" The door opened slightly and a face appeared in the crack. "Oh it is you! Come in! I've put on some water for tea. Care to have some?" The woman opened the door and ushered the group inside. "Sit down. Do you want some cheese? I bought some from this lovely trader earlier this evening."

Tyler examined the woman carefully. She wore a long red dress that accented her bosom. Her brown hair hung past her shoulders. Her friendly brown eyes locked on Wedge and she hugged him tightly. "Oh where have you been?! I've missed you!"

Wedge gasped, "Too tight! Can't...breathe..." When Maddie released him, he panted, "We're on a quest to Oakfield. It's north of here. Problem is that we can't get into Bowerstone North."

"You need my help?" Maddie asked with a smile.

"Please," he answered polietly.

Maddie rubbed her chin and answered, "Of course! Now, where did I put my outfits? Oh, I see you have actual ladies here with you. They will be easy. You men, though, not so much." She walked over to a trunk and opened it. "Ah, smell the silk! The sweet satin decadence! Beautiful, don't you agree?" Maddie held up a dress, which Tyler thought the color was similar to what babies leave behind in their diapers.

"Oh, yes..." Tyler agreed through gritted teeth.

"Well then, darling, you can wear it if you like it so much!" Maddie said with a large smile and shoved the repulsive colored dress into Tyler's arms. "It will look absolutely splendid on you."

"Oh goodie..." He muttered.

Maddie reached into the truck and pulled out another dress. This one looked like it had been rolled around in grass. "I'll give this one to you, sweetie." She put the dress in Brock's hands. He looked horrified.

Wedge peered into the truck and noticed a black dress with a dragon etched into the material. "Ohhh...can I have this one, Maddie?" he whined.

"Of course you can. I know you love dragons," she said, handing over the dress to Wedge. "Now for the ladies...you can have this one," she handed Allison a blue dress with several sequins on the arms. "And for you," Maddie gave Raven a plain grey dress. "Go and change. I'll help the men with any problems that they may have." She handed Wedge, Brock, and Tyler some balls of yarn. "These will come in handy. Trust me."

Several grueling minutes later, the group was finally ready to leave. "Thanks, Maddie!" Wedge called out in his best lady voice. Maddie had crudely put makeup on the men, making them appear like life-sized dolls.

"Damn shoes..." Brock mumbled under his breath. "And my balls of yarn keep wanting to pop out of my dress."

"What kind of monster invents something this painful? Heels? Seriously?" Tyler whined.

"Oh shut up and wear those dresses like women," Allison growled.

Raven sighed, "Let's just go."

Wedge gave one last wave at Maddie and wobbled down the walkway toward the others. "I forgot just how uncomfortable this is. Oh well, it's for a good cause," he shrugged.

The band walked up the stairs and saw the guard that blocked the path to Bowerstone North. The guard perked up when he saw them. "Well, hello, ladies. Can I...help you?" He asked in a smooth voice.

Wedge approached and said in a high pitched voice. "Hello! My friends and I were invited to a private party. Can you let us in, please?"

"Hmmm...you're a bit tall..." The guard looked at Wedge up and down.

He tried to look offended. "Excuse me, I am from an exotic land, where women are as tall as men."

"Exotic, you say?" The guard grinned.

Wedge sighed, "May we please go? Our party waits."

"Care to show me some party moves?" The guard asked eagerly.

Wedge glanced back at the others and frowned, "If you insist...follow me..." He took the guard down the steps and behind several barrels. "Shhh...now don't make a sound..." Wedge whispered. Tyler and the others could not see what was happening but the sound of blood splattering on the pavement and the rumbling of a barrel could be heard. "Brock, could you help me?" Wedge whispered.

Brock left the group and a loud "Skorm! What the hell did you do?" could be heard. Both men returned several minutes later, blood covered and panting.

"What did you do to that guard, Wedge?" Tyler asked.

Wedge sighed, "Well the dresses were a waste of time. I suppose it would have just been easier if I have just done that instead."

"What did you do?" Allison insisted.

"Slit the guard's throat and shoved him in a barrel. I highly doubt anyone is going to go tearing through Bowerstone South, breaking every barrel in sight."

"You killed an innocent man?" Raven asked Wedge.

Wedge pulled off the dress, revealing his usual Hero garments underneath. "Well it was either that or show him that private party."

"Well, the good thing is that the path is clear. Let's go!" Tyler pulled off his dress and ran up the stairs in his undergarments.

"Wait! You didn't put the dress on over your clothes, Tyler?" Brock asked, neatly folding up the dress that he had been wearing and laid it on a step. Allison was folding Tyler's dress.

Tyler's face turned red. "I...I didn't think that you should wear clothes under a dress. That's what Maddie said anyway."

"Poor sod..." Wedge mumbled as he opened the doors into Bowerstone North.


	13. Rookridge

The pathway was clear in Bowerstone North. Wedge peeped around the corner and spotted a guard that was sleeping. _What a slacker!_ He thought, waving the group forward. Tyler and Allison crept past him.

"So which path do we take?" Tyler asked. "It looks like the path on the right leads us to a large building."

Wedge closed his eyes and shook his head. "Then that's the path we want to avoid. The left path will take us past the jail. Since it's so late, I doubt many guards will be around. Come on!"

The group moved in the shadows, keeping low. Even though Wedge was right about the lack of guards, no one wanted to risk being seen by a resident of Bowerstone North. Brock and Raven were the first to spot the jail. Inside was a man.

"I wonder why he has been imprisoned," Raven muttered.

The man looked up and grabbed the bars of his cell. "Please, you have to believe me. Lady Grey killed her sister! Please! You have to find proof of this crime that she committed before I'm executed!"

Tyler stopped in front of the man's cell and replied, "Even if we did believe you, what proof do you have?"

The man looked at the ground and answered, "I have none. But if you find the sister's boyfriend, I'm sure he'll have some proof!"

Brock shook his head, "Right. Sure. Come on, guys. Let's get out of here."

The group gave the man one last look, then opened the gates that lead out of Bowerstone North and into Windmill Hill. Wedge glanced down at his map and muttered, "Well, Oakfield is east of here. Apparently. It's not on the map."

"So who first settled in Oakfield?" Tyler asked.

Wedge shrugged, "From what the Guildmaster told me, the first settlers of Oakfield were the survivors of the Oakvale massacre. Several from Barrow Fields also joined the survivors. Although from what I've gathered on my travels, Oakvale has been rebuilt."

Allison looked hopeful. "Do you think one day we can go back to Oakvale?" She asked.

Tyler shrugged, "I don't see any reason why not. But first, let's focus on the quest at hand."

The group made their way past the old windmill and noticed a subtle split in the path. "What this?" Wedge wondered, touching the ground. "Hmmm….this path is new. Not well marked. If I had to guess, I'm going to say that Oakfield is this way."

"Or maybe we're walking into a trap?" Brock suggested.

Raven looked over Wedge's shoulder and at the map. "Well, if we keep going straight, that'll lead us to Gibbet Woods," she said.

Tyler asked, "Then where does that path lead us?"

Wedge sighed, "If we take Gibbet Woods, then we can either go to Headsman's Hill or to the prison path. We really don't want to go that way." He moved several branches away from the makeshift path. "I suppose our only choice is taking this path."

The group carefully began their way down the new path. Roots and various vegetation acted as annoying obstacles as Wedge led the band forward. "Well, this is wonderful. Where does this path take us?" He wondered. The map was useless to him.

The group moved forward for what felt like hours. The sun was slowly peeping over the horizon as the forest retreated. Tyler and Allison stopped suddenly. "Where are we?" They asked at the same time.

"How am I supposed to know?" Wedge snapped. He scanned the area. "Okay, we still have trees but I wouldn't call this a forest. The path is made of rock. I can smell water somewhere nearby. So let's go. Maybe we can find a local who can tell us where we are."

The group moved forward slowly, hoping to find someone who could offer them directions. However, the path stopped suddenly. "What the?" Tyler yelped. The path was blocked by a massive chasm. "Oh dammit! Now what?" Tyler looked down. Below them was a large lake.

"We're pretty high up. Do you think we can jump across?" Brock asked.

Wedge looked back at Brock and frowned, "Over this?" He waved his arm at the massive gap in the ground. "No. We can't jump across. But maybe…." Wedge rubbed his chin and looked down. "Could we survive the fall?"

"WHAT?!" Allison yelped. "You can't be serious!"

Wedge shrugged, "There's water down there. We could theoretically survive."

"I wonder how deep the water is," Raven also peered over the side.

"So we're doing this? Diving and hopefully surviving?" Allison asked.

Tyler took a deep breath and muttered, "Well, there are worst ways to die. Getting eaten by a troll sounds worse than being smeared all over the bottom of a lakebed."

"Yeah but…" Allison began.

"It's settled then. We're diving!" Wedge rubbed his hands together. "Who would like to go first?"

"Wait. We're not going in all at once?" Tyler asked.

"Oh, what the hell…let's go!" Brock grabbed Raven by the hand and both leaped off of the path. Wedge was soon to follow. Tyler and Allison took one last look at each other, and then jumped.

Down. Down. Down. Then SPLASH! Water immediately went up Tyler's nose. He swam to the surface and coughed violently. He paddled over to the shore and collapsed on the sand. "Air! Sand! Bones! Bones?" Tyler looked up sharply and noticed a skull was staring back at him. "BONES!" He yelped.

"Relax!" Allison ordered.

"But there are bones scattered all over this beach! WHY?!"

Wedge looked thoughtful and answered, "Judging by the bite marks on these bones, I'm going to say hobbes did this."

"Hobbes?" Tyler asked.

"Nasty creatures, but not a huge threat. I'm going to venture a guess and say that this is a hobbe cave."

Brock nodded, "That makes sense. Probably killed off people who got injured by the fall, if they decided to dive into the water."

Wedge nodded, "That's a logical outcome. Well, shall we go inside?"

"How are you suggesting we go inside a cave with hobbes?" Tyler asked.

"With my mouth. Let's go," Wedge looked mildly annoyed. "What? You scared? Want to crawl back to the Guild?"

Tyler glared, "No! I'm coming!"


	14. Skorm or Shadows?

Drip. Drip. Water could be heard dripping off of the stalactites that hung from the roof of the cave. It was dim—the only light came from the crudely placed torches that were mounted to the cave walls. Occasionally one of the group would knock a bone out of their way.

"I wonder how deep this goes…" Tyler whispered. Even his whisper echoed in the darkness.

Wedge shrugged and continued making his way down the path. He stopped suddenly. "What is it?" Brock asked.

Wedge raised a hand and listened. "It sounded like giggling. Really hoarse giggles."

"Maybe it's just your imagination," Raven suggested.

Wedge frowned, "Yeah…maybe…"

The group moved forward, careful not to fall over rocks. The path opened up, revealing bags of something bloody hanging from the cave ceiling. An arm hung out of a tear in one bag. "Stay alert!" Wedge hissed.

"More bones ahead," Allison reported. She had already removed her mace from her back and was ready for action.

The cave opened up, revealing more paths and places that would be suitable hiding spots. "So far, so good. I figured if there were hobbes in here, they would have attacked us by now." Brock started to take a sigh of relief.

"Rarrrr!" A hoarse voice could be heard in the shadows.

"Oh, of course….." Raven mumbled.

Out of the shadows, a small army of hobbes emerged. Most were small and only carried crude maces or haphazardly put together axes. All of them had their nasty little eyes locked on the group of Heroes.

"We can take 'em!" Brock shouted, reaching for his sword.

Wedge was already facing off against several hobbes. His sword was covered with blood. He spun, neatly slicing the heads off the hobbes. "Agh! They smell so bad!" Wedge grunted.

Tyler yelled, "Get behind me!" He began to charge up a spell. Once everyone was safely out of range, he unleashed his lightning spell. The hobbes that stood within range were automatically turned to bones.

"Nice!" Wedge complimented. The remaining hobbes ran frantically away from Tyler—some running into the wall and knocking themselves out.

"Well, you didn't electrocute us, so that's good," Brock nodded. He moved past Wedge and went further up the path. "Looks like the path is clear," he called back.

The group began to climb up the path. Then the cave opened up more. The path was now surrounded by haze. Tyler looked down and gasped. _There's nothing below us! If we fall, we're going to have a long time to think about it,_ he thought.

"Don't look down," Wedge warned.

"Wish you had told me that sooner," Tyler grunted, pulling his eyes away from the edge and examining other parts of the massive cavern. He noticed a chest tucked away in the darkness. "What's in here?" He wondered, opening it. Inside was a bag of gold. "Why would hobbes have need for gold?"

Allison looked thoughtful. "I heard a story once of a hobbe that wanted to be human. He dressed up like one and went into town. But when he tried to speak, all he could do was grunt and growl. The villagers beheaded him."

"Well isn't that a lovely bedtime story," Raven mumbled.

Wedge sniffed the air. "We're close to the exit. I can smell fresh air. Let's get out of here," he urged. The group followed his lead and walked toward the light. An ancient ladder was propped against the wall. Wedge moved it toward the opening and helped Raven first. Then Allison scrambled up the ladder. Tyler and Brock were next. Wedge took one last look at the hobbe cave then climbed up.

Outside, the group saw the path again. "We came out just past the chasm. That's good!" Raven said cheerfully.

Tyler turned and saw something that made his stomach drop. "What's that?" He pointed.

All eyes followed Tyler's gaze. Resting on top of what appeared to be a mountain was a large cathedral. The spires were decorated with monsters. "Wow…I just love their decorations…" Brock muttered sarcastically.

Wedge looked nervous and said, "It looks like the Temple of Skorm."

"How do you know what the Temple of Skorm looks like?" Allison asked.

"If you're in Darkwood, you can't miss it," Wedge answered quietly.

Tyler started up the hill toward the massive cathedral. "What the hell are you doing?" Brock asked.

"Checking it out. It might be abandoned. Or it could have treasures," Tyler replied.

"Okay, kid. You went from being annoyingly scared to stupidly brave. Personally, I think we should leave well enough alone and continue up the path. We have to be getting close to Oakfield." Wedge shot a glance up the path.

"If you don't want to come, then stay here. I won't be long." Tyler walked further uphill.

Allison followed him and said, "I'm behind you on this. You could be right. If this cathedral is from the Old Kingdom, who knows what kinds of treasures could be here? There might even be an ancient weapon!"

Wedge sighed and also went up the hill. Brock and Raven joined him. "We can't let that idiot get hurt," Brock muttered to his friends. Raven and Wedge nodded in agreement.

Tyler made his way down the bridge that guided him toward the entrance of the cathedral. To his surprise, a hooded man blocked the opening. "Hello!" Tyler greeted him cheerfully.

The man looked at Tyler and replied, "Greetings. Are you here to making offerings to Skorm?"

"Uhhh…" Tyler looked puzzled.

The man folded his arms across his chest and said, "This is the northern Temple of Skorm. People who migrated to the north did not want to make pilgrimages south just to sacrifice to the great Skorm. You see, most of those offerings died on the way to the original shrine. Skorm was most displeased."

"So you worship Skorm here?" Allison asked.

The man answered, "Well, there is a bit of a division in beliefs here. Some want to worship Skorm. Others want to worship the shadows. Nutters."

"They want to worship the shadows? Why?" Tyler asked.

"Don't ask me. I'm not one of those shadow worshipping buffoons. If I was a betting man, I'd say that this shadow worshipping is just a phase. It won't last five years."

Wedge approached Tyler and laid a hand on his shoulder. It was a firm grip. "Thank you for your time but I think we had better be on our way. We have an important appointment. Come, Tyler."

The group left the cathedral and went down the hill. "That reminds me…didn't we have a quest to escort some traders to Oakfield?" Allison asked Wedge.

"We did. I didn't want to alarm you back on Windmill Hill. They were killed. I saw their bodies near the old windmill. I'm guessing bandits had something to do with it."

"Wait. Why didn't you tell us? We could have aborted the quest and did something else." Tyler looked angry.

Wedge sighed, "I thought that it would be the right thing to go ahead to Oakfield and inform the village that those traders won't be coming. Besides, it would be nice to come to a region that few have seen."

Brock and Raven stared at Wedge. "So we are here because we're going to do the right thing? Will gold be a factor?"

"I don't know." Wedge shrugged. "At any rate, it's too late to turn back. We're almost there. We have to be."

Allison nodded, "What's done is done. Let's just move on. Maybe Oakfield will have some interesting things for us to see."

"That's the spirit!" Wedge said cheerfully.

Brock frowned, "I can't believe I came all this way for nothing."

"I can't believe you never noticed the dead traders. They were pretty hard not to miss." Wedge mumbled.


	15. Zara's Decision

Meanwhile, in the Mistpeak Mountains, a woman named Zara ran for her life. She had escaped from the northern parts of Albion with her family, only to have bandits kill her parents and brother. Zara had pinned all of her hope on the legendary Heroes to teleport in and save her loved ones. But her hope was in vain. Her family had been killed and Zara barely escaped. For nearly a week, she had been eating the bitter fungus that was growing on the bark of the trees that grew in Mistpeak. Now she was being chased by the wolves that were native to the area.

"Go away!" She screamed, even though she knew that it was pointless. The moment she reached the deep snow and could no longer run the wolves would catch her.

The wolves leapt at her and attempted to nip at her heels. Then, to her utter disdain, her foot hit a root. Zara fell forward as a wolf flew over her head, grabbing a few strains of brown hair. "Ow!" She groaned, landing hard on her knees. Then she looked up. Her brown eyes locked on the wolves. They had formed a circle around her. She was trapped.

"No…" She whispered. The alpha wolf barked out a command and all the wolves lunged.

Zara closed her eyes and prepared herself for death. Then her ears were met with the sounds of wolves yelping and whining. She opened one eye and saw that the wolves had been slaughtered. "What? What the…?" She was more than just puzzled. _I should be dead…_ she thought.

"Are you alright?" A low and strangely soothing male voice asked. The owner of the voice was behind her. She turned and saw a man dressed in a red cloak. A mask covered his face.

Zara nodded, "Yes. Thank you for saving me."

He bent down and reached a hand out. "It was no trouble. Now, tell me, what is a young lady like you doing up here in the mountains?"

Zara looked into his eyes. _Strange…his eyes are red…_ She put the unsettling feeling she had about this man aside and took his hand. He pulled her up. "My family was killed by bandits," she said.

"The Heroes allowed your family to die?" The masked man gasped. It was almost like he knew what she was about to say next.

"Yes. I was under the impression that they are all-powerful and can teleport. I guess I was wrong…" Zara felt a wave of disappointment.

The masked man looked at her and shook his head. "My dear…the Heroes can do that. They heard your cries for help and did nothing. The Hero's Guild is filled with nothing but greedy imposters. Certainly you want to take your revenge out on them? It's their fault that your family is dead."

Zara felt rage growing inside of her. "You're right! They did nothing! But how do you know about the Hero's Guild? Are you a Hero?"

"My dear, I am more than just a Hero. The Hero's Guild and all of its residents are merely specks in terms of power. If you would like to see revenge, I would be happy to teach you."

Zara felt curiosity toward the man. "You would teach me? How?"

"If you come with me, I will bestow upon you more power than you could possibly imagine. Or, if you'd like, I could leave you up here in the mountains to starve."

She weighed her options, not that she had many. "I'll go with you and seek revenge," she said. Then Zara reached out to take the man's hand. "My name is Zara."

He gripped her hand tightly and introduced himself, "Jack. Jack of Blades."


	16. Footprints in the Sand

At last, the band of Heroes finally reached Oakfield. Tyler could scarcely believe his eyes. Wedge had told him that Oakfield was merely in the startup stages of becoming a true town. What Tyler saw was makeshift shacks and tents. The only place that could be considered an actual building was the Sandgoose, the pub. From what Tyler had heard as he walked into the cluster of tents, apparently the Sandgoose was the first building erected. _Makes sense, I suppose,_ Tyler thought. _People do love their vices..._

Allison noticed in a group of tents a band of traders. "Wedge? Are you going to tell them that the traders we were supposed to be escorting died?" She asked.

Wedge looked down at the ground and pushed a pebble around with his boot. "I suppose. Damn. I guess we failed this quest…" He sighed and approached the traders.

Tyler only caught bits of the excuse Wedge offered up to the traders. He saw that the traders were angry. _Understandable,_ he thought with a sigh.

Brock and Raven decided to check out the town and Tyler decided to follow. Allison was too busy investigating the local blacksmith. Oakfield's landscape was nothing special and Tyler was far from impressed. He wandered down the path that had been carved into the forest. Eventually, Tyler reached the coast of Oakfield. The seawater licked at his boots. _Will this town amount to anything…?_ He wondered.

A sigh echoed behind him. "Ahhhh!" Tyler yelped in surprise. He turned and saw a Demon Door that had been carved into the rock. The door's stone eyes looked sad. "What's wrong with you?" Tyler asked the sentient door. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but marvel at the massive stone door.

The Demon Door sighed heavily, "Oh why did she leave me? My darling….I will never feel such love again…"

"What happened?" Tyler felt compelled to ask.

"She was lovely. A lovely pebble. I wanted to ask for her to marry me. Make me the happiest Demon Door in existence. But, before I could, a rolling stone got to her. He was nothing special. A stone that rolls! No one cares about that! I am a talking, thinking, _feeling_ stone door! Did she care? No!"

Tyler began to regret asking the lovelorn Demon Door of its woes. But a thought came to him. "Do you think there is anything that'll make you happy again?" He asked cautiously.

The Demon Door looked thoughtful. "My darling pebble is gone forever. However, if I can see an act of romance…of true love….then my heartache will lessen. I will grant entry to the secrets I hide if I can witness an act of pure love!"

Tyler smiled and replied, "One day, you will see an act of pure love."

"Let us hope, little one," the Demon Door answered.

Tyler departed the Demon Door and walked down the coast. The sounds of the waves crashing gently on the shore filled him with a sense of peace. He glanced up at a cliff and saw Allison standing. The wind caught her long red hair and caused it to flow behind her.

Allison did notice Tyler down below but paid him no heed. She was watching out at sea. _Are those…tentacles?_ Her green eyes squinted, trying to make sense of the action. It appeared that two kraken were in a battle of dominance. _I thought that kraken stayed away from the shore. These things are way too close!_ She bit her lower lip.

Finally, one of the kraken apparently overpowered the other. One of the masses of tentacles vanished. A faint roar could be heard. Allison shuddered. "I never want to face one of those monsters…" She admitted to the wind. She felt the weight of her new longsword but knew that fighting a kraken was a losing battle.

Her eyes glanced back down. Tyler had not noticed the epic battle out at sea. He had continued down the shore, kicking sea shells out of his path. Then he noticed something odd. _Footprints? These are fresh…_ He touched the sand. The waves had not washed the prints away. _Someone has been through here…judging by the size of these prints, it's a woman._ He felt a tinge of excitement.

"I better investigate…" He whispered to himself, following the path.


	17. The Wellspring of Light

Meanwhile, as Tyler was going to investigate the footprints, Wedge was on his own adventure. He was a little agitated from the scolding he had received from the traders. To clear his mind, he decided to explore. His hand slipped into his pocket and he rolled the strange acorn between his fingers. _What am I supposed to do with this?_ He wondered.

He wandered for a while until he spotted an opening in the earth. "Hmm…this looks promising…" Wedge mumbled to himself. He walked into the cave. Inside was not as dark as he had expected. Wisps—the souls of the restless dead—floated around the cave. Wedge looked at them cautiously.

Wisps can reanimate the bones of the long fallen, creating hollow men. Generally wisps are seen as being aggressive but these wisps remained toward the ceiling of the cave and ignored Wedge. He shrugged and began his journey into the depths of the cave.

The path was long and winding. Wedge peered over the edge of the path and saw only haze. _If I fell, I'd be thinking about it for a while…_ he thought and shuddered.

"Oh…Avo…why have your forsaken me?" A man's voice echoed up from the depths of the cave.

Wedge jerked at the voice. _Someone is in here? Why?_ He wondered.

His steps still careful, Wedge moved somewhat quicker down the path, which opened up into a larger cavern. Water dripped from the ceiling. There was another small path up ahead. The voice grew louder. "Avo….please show me the way…"

The final cavern was massive. Wedge surmised that there was a body of water above the cave—water flowed down the rock walls and gathered into a large underwater lake. "Wow…" Wedge whispered. Then he saw the owner of the voice he had been hearing.

The man was young. He appeared to be a monk from the Temple of Avo. "Avo, please…" The man appeared to be suffering from indecision. In his hand was a dagger. His hand was shaking.

 _Oh Skorm!_ Wedge had to think fast. He knew that if he startled the man, the man might end up stabbing himself. However, if he decided not to act, the man might kill himself. Silently, he crept closer to the man. When he was close enough to grab the dagger away, Wedge revealed himself. "I am a guardian of the Light," Wedge announced.

"Who…who are you?!" The man gasped.

"A guardian of the Light—you have been chosen. You will lead a new order of worshippers into a glorious new era." Wedge babbled. He had to keep the man distracted.

"I am a monk of Avo, but I fear that I have lost my way. My name is Albert."

"I know. That is why I am here. The Light has chosen you, Albert the Luminous."

Albert looked skeptical. "I am merely a follow of Avo. What do you mean?"

"Avo is dead. Skorm is dead. Only Light and Shadow remain."

"And the Light has chosen me to create a new order? A new religion?" Albert dropped the dagger. The sound of it hitting the stone floor echoed in the darkness.

Wedge nodded. "Yes. You are to build a temple dedicated to the Light here in Oakfield. The Light has given you a gift." Wedge reached into his pocket and removed the Golden Acorn. "This to create the Golden Oak, which will bring prosperity to Oakfield for many generations to come. This cave…this Wellspring of Light…will be what is used to water the Golden Acorn."

Albert reached out and took the acorn from Wedge. He lowered his head. "Oh, thank you," he said humbly.

"Now, go! Go into Oakfield! Create the Temple of Light!" Wedge ordered. Albert nodded and exited the cave. Wedge watched him leave with a small smile on his face. "At least his purpose has been renewed," he muttered.


End file.
